Research ArticleOpen AccessGoogle Scholar indexed
Transient Studies of Ghana Research Reactor-1 after Nineteen (19) Years of Operation Using PARET/ANL Code
National Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research, Lusaka, Zambia
School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- 1 National Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research, Lusaka, Zambia
- 2 School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- 3 School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
World Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology·Volume 07 (2017)·Pages 223–231·Published 9 August 2017·DOI10.4236/wjnst.2017.74018
Copy link · social · email
Abstract
The Program for the Analysis of Reactor Transients/Argonne National Laboratory (PARET/ANL) code was used to predict the thermal hydraulic behaviour of the Ghana Research Reactor-1 after adding 9.0 mm of beryllium to the top shim tray of the core. The core was analysed for reactivity insertions 2.1 mk, 3.0 mk, 4.0 mk, 5.0 mk and 6.7 mk, respectively. The reactor is still safe to operate in the range 2.1 mk to 4.0 mk. However, 2.1 mk would be ideal since the reactor automatic shutdown (SCRAM) is set not to exceed 120% of reactor nominal power.
KeywordsReactivity InsertionTransientsControl Rod WorthPower Peaking FactorModerator Reactivity CoefficientNeutronic Parameters
- Woodruff, W.L. (1982) The PARET/ANL Code and the Analysis of the SPERT I Transients, ANL/RERTR/TM-4.
- Mweetwa, B.M., Ampomah-Amoako, E. and Akaho, E.H.K. (2015) Evaluation of Safety Parameters for Ghana Research Reactor-1 after Nineteen (19) Years of Operation Using REBUS/ANL, MCNP5, PARET/ANL and PLTEMP/ANL Simulation Codes. University of Ghana, Legon.
- Aldama, D.L. and Gual, M.R. (1999) Determination of The Control Rod Worth for Research Reactors, International Symposium on Research Reactor Utilization, Safety and Management, IAEA-SM-360/24P, Lisbon, Portugal, 6-10 September 1999.
- Ahmed, Y.A., Balogun, G.I., Jonah, S.A. and Funtua, I.I. (2008) The Behaviour of Reactor Power and Flux Resulting from Changes in Core-Coolant Temperature for a Miniature Neutron Source Reactor. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 35, 2417-2419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2008.08.005
- Akaho, E.H.K., Anim-Sampong, S., Dodoo-Amoo, D.N.A., Maakuu, B.T., Emi Reynolds, G., Osae, E.K., Boadu, H.O. and Bamford, S.A. (2003) Ghana Research Reactor-1 Final Safety Analysis Report. Ghana Atomic Energy Technical Report, GAEC-NNRI, RT-90, GEAC, Accra.
- Adoo, N.A, Nyarko, B.J.B., Akaho, E.H.K., Alhassan, E., Agbodemegbe, V.Y., Bansah, C.Y. and Della. R. (2011) Determination of Thermal Hydraulic Data of GHARR-1 under Reactivity Insertion Transients Using the PARET/ANL Code. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 241, 5203-5210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2011.09.019
- Ravink, M. (2000) Report on Nuclear Data and Nuclear Reactors: Physics Design and Safety. Trieste, 13 March-14 April 2000, 547.
- Olson, A.P. (2001) A User’s Guide to the REBURS-PC Code V 1.4. Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont.
- X-5 Monte Carlo Team, (2008) MCNP—A General Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code. Version 5, Los Alamos, New Mexico, Los Alamos.
- Woodruff, W.L. (2002) A Users Guide for the Current ANL Version of the PARET/ANL Code, Argonne National Laboratory. Radiation Shielding Information Computational Center (RSICC), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge.
- Ampomah-Amoako, E., Akaho, E.H.K., Anim-Sampong, S. and Nyarko, B.J.B. (2009) Transient Analysis of Ghana Research Reactor-1 Using PARET/ANL Thermal Hydraulic Code. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 239, 2479-2483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2009.06.016
- Akaho, E.H.K., Anim-Sampong, S., Maakuu, B.T. and Dadoo-Amoo, D.N.A. (2000) Dynamic Feedback Characteristics of Ghana Research Reactor-1. Journal of the Ghana Science Association, 2, 200-208. https://doi.org/10.4314/jgsa.v2i3.17896